South Africa A Failing Democracy Spotlight on Fana Hlongwane and Vusi Pikoli

There is no point in shifting the blame for failure. Where are the opportunities, leadership and initiative? By highlighting the failing democracy of South Africa it is necessary to spotlight on some members of the governing party. Today we will look at the importance of Fana Hlongwane and Vusi Pikoli, who are both connected to the ANC political party.

Fana Hlongwane

During the 1970’s, he left South Africa and studied law in the former Soviet Union. He became a ranking commander of the ANC’s military – Umkhonto-weSizwe. He lived in some African countries including Zimbabwe during his exile years.

Fana returned to South African in the early 1990’s and was part of the MK delegation that testified about the ANC activities during apartheid, before the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

From 1995 until 1998, Fana Hlongwane was an adviser to the defense minister Joe Modise. Fana is widely known for his association with the South African Arms Deal.

Fana Hlongwane

He is connected as the main character acting between the government and the overseas arms dealers. Convincing evidence points to him working for both the government and overseas arms dealers from his connections in various companies linked to the arms deal scandal.

His personal fortune includes properties in Hyde Park, Johannesburg and Zimbali, Natal, both areas known as the homes of the super wealthy. His fleet of cars includes Lamborghini, a Bentley, and a Ferrari Spider among other expensive cars. He is the owner of a luxury car for each day of the week.

Hlongwane surrounds himself with beautiful women and is well known for his rap star like lifestyle and only wears shirts made in Italy. His high life and luxurious lifestyle standards do raise speculation.

People rave about his house parties and the string of beautiful women who surround him are known to be treated like A list stars. He loves money and never stops flaunting his wealth and reminding people he has plenty.

Hlongwane is chairman of Ngwane Defense Group, a black-owned company specializing in aerospace, military and security solutions. The board of directors includes former heavy weights of the South African National Defense Force, including the diplomat George Nene. He also owns shares in LSM Distributors, the company with exclusive rights to import Porsche motor vehicles to South Africa.

His company Ngwane Defense Group channeled more than 200 million Rand which is alleged to be bribes distributed to ANC members, from British Aerospace. Over the years, it is assumed that he received substantial amounts of money linked to the arms deal scandal. Is this the corruption, fraud and money laundering on a huge scale, linked to the arms deal?

Vusumzi “Vusi” Pikoli

Vusumzi Pikoli always referred to as Vusi and was born in the city of Port Elizabeth, South Africa in March 1958. He Studied at the University of Lesotho and during 199 obtained a MA in Law from the University of Zimbabwe. In the early days, Pikoli remained an active member of the youth movement of the ANC. In Angola, a bordering country to South Africa, Pikoli underwent military training.

vusi pikoli

After the first democratic election, Vusi was appointed Minister of Justice, and in 1997 appointed Deputy Director General in the Department of Justice and constitutional Development. He became Director General in the same division during 1999 and held that position for six years.

In 2005, Vusi was appointed as head of the National Prosecuting Authority, and in September 2007 the president of South Africa Thabo Mbeki suspended him. Vusi is noted for instigating criminal charges against the disgraced South African police Commission Jackie Selebe (a close confident of Mbeki) and Jacob Zuma. After Mbeki resigned in 2008 the acting president Kgalema Motlanthe, a staunch ally of Zuma fired Pikoli for prompting corruption charges against Zuma.

Vusi Pikoli is proclaimed by the media and oppositions as a victim of two separate political conspiracies. This case was tabled in parliament, and various suggestions for his suspension and firing were discussed and seen as a violation of the constitution.

During 2009, Pikoli obtained an interim interdict by the High Court of Pretoria which prevented president Jacob Zuma from appointing a successor to his previous position. During the same year, the Zuma government and Pikoli reached a R7.5 million out of court settlement to end his legal bid of reinstatement.

What is the link?

What is the connection between Vusi Pikoli and Fana Hlongwane? The connection is the ANC political party, the corruption, the greed and the never ending stream of money from the coffers of the failing democracy. Was Fanu the mechanism for the ANC arms deal and did Vusi catch the cheating members of the ANC government?

No Transparent democracy

A strong open and transparent democracy is what is wanted. Is the ANC killing democracy and giving an indication of slipping into a typical African dictatorship?

There is the constant worry about corruption, elite capture, transfer of responsibility, the consequences of large families and polygamy. Who are the four billionaires in the SA Defense Force and on last count over twenty millionaires who benefited from the arms deal?

The government will begin to panic and plug channels of information as the media open up about those in power, and deals so deeply hidden. Having expectations of a free society will surely bring an end to the centralized power. Citizens have a democratic right to an open society. South Africa is changing, and yesterday’s heroes are struggling to keep their stronghold. It can get worse as the chain of truth chokes out the evil deeds of a corrupt government, but it will get better to.